Friday, March 27, 2009

I Miss Mayberry(field)

Part of me is going to have a hard time leaving this little town. I've lived here for almost 13 years, and have spent a great deal of my time here since I met Pieman 15 years ago. But as I was driving toward home yesterday, the umpteenmillionth time I've made that ride, I realized something else:

The little town I fell in love with already left.

I won't say I haven't noticed it already. Since the kids have started school, I've become increasingly aware as to how much this former blue collar town has become an "exclusive community" for commuters to Boston who live in $750,000+ McMansions. The air reeks of entitlement. I can't deny that I've noticed the chance. Pieman hates it most of all. He's lived here his whole life, so you would think that he'd be the least eagar to leave. Nope. HE didn't want to look at homes in this town. Lucky for him, we couldn't afford one.

Back to my ride home yesterday. Maybe it's because we moved to this particular neighborhood around this time of year, or maybe there was something else that made me nostalgic...but I found myself noting all the changes, just on this one road.
"I remember when that house was pink. I remember when that house was red."
"I remember that house when it was smaller, before it burned down and they built one twice its size in its place."
"I remember when that lot didn't have a big colonial house on it. I remember when there was a little run-down post office in it's place, with the old man who used to sit outside and wave to you as you drove by."
"I remember when that house they call the "church house" was a church. Now it looks less and less like a church and more and more like a house."
"I remember when Castle Dr. and Karen's Way (ooooooo...private drives!!) weren't even here."

Yes, I have a lot of memories of this little neighborhood. Unfortunately, that's all they are. Memories of the way this town used to be. I guess it's like a friend or lover that you find you have nothing in common with anymore.

So, I bid Mansfield farewell. Mayberry, I'm coming to chase you down.